HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Public Comments Submitted Online for the May 7, 2020 Virtual Special City Commission MeetingCommission Report
Special Commission Meeting Public Comment - May 7th 2020
May 7, 2020 2:14 PM MDT
Public Comment
motero@miamigov.com
Are you
First Last Street Agenda
Email Address Public Comment a
Name Name Address Item
Lobbyist?
3000 SP.1 7422 A
Discussion
Meena Jagannath meena@communityjusticeproject.com Biscayne Regarding N/A Yes
Blvd Ste
106 Homeless
Issues
SP.1 7422 A
Discussion
PO BOX
Katherine Gonzalez urge2wander@gmail.com 15801 Regarding N/A No
Homeless
Issues
SP.1 7422 A
5575 SW Discussion
Armen Henderson Armenh07@gmail.com 6th st Regarding N/A No
33134 Homeless
Issues
SP.1 7422 A
2272 sw Discussion
anthony goyanes anthonygoyanes@gmail.com 22 Regarding N/A No
terrace Homeless
Issues
Luis
Gonzalez lfgonzalez@fortexdesign.com
133 NE
2nd Ave
-Make hotels, dorm rooms,
and other properties
immediately available to house
every person who needs a
place to stay, including the
hundreds of people who are
sitting in Miami jails, but have
SP.1 7422 A not been convicted of a crime,
Discussion simply because they do not
Regarding have an address to return
Homeless home to. -Cancel all rent and
Issues mortgages payments -Haft all
evictions -End the arrest of
homeless people for being
homeless. Stop police officers
from crushing peoples tents
and arresting people who are
simply trying to shelter in
place.
No
7436 Submittal -Public Comments Submitted Online for the May 7, 2020 Virtual Special City Commission Meeting
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Luis Gonzalez fgonzafez@wesfeyan.edu
Street Agenda
Address Item
133 NE
2nd Ave
Public Comment
133 NE 2nd Ave My name is
SP.1 7422 A Luis Gonzalez and I am a
Discussion downtown resident at 133 NE
Regarding 2nd Ave. I am concerned
Homeless about the kind of discourse
Issues that we are sustaining about
homeless people.
SP.1 7422 A
41 SE Discussion
Patricia Monterrey Pati_32@hotmaiLcom 5th st Regarding
apt 417 Homeless
Issues
HI LDA
Fernandez hfernandez@camiftus.org
1603
NW 7
Ave,
Miami
Hello! Regarding
homelessness in the downtown
area... my husband was
waking our dog one evening
and saw a homeless man pull
his pants down and begin to
defecate out in public. There
were other people waking by.
Luckily our son was not with
him. I do understand they are
also human beings with bodily
functions and I realize they
have nowhere to relieve
themselves. I propose having
port-o-potties placed in areas
where they can access so they
may relieve themselves in
private. Thank you!
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
No
No
SP.1 7422 A
Discussion
Regarding N/A No
Homeless
Issues
SP.1 7422 A
937 n.w. Discussion
samuef Latimore sfatimore@bellsouth.net 55th Regarding
street Homeless
Issues
Having worked as a Police
Commander in dealing with
the homeless population, I
came to realize that what
police do when interacting with
this population is critical. As I
tour the City, I have seen
numerous interactions between
homeless citizens and police
personnel. Most of those
interactions have been
professional and concerned. I
commend the police
Department and encourage
continued training and support.
Additionafty, assisting officers
to deaf with the emotional toff
of seeing what homelessness
can do to individuals and
families, is paramount.
Professor S. Latimore, Major -
Retired
No
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
SP.1 7422 A
937 n.w. Discussion
samuel Latimore sLatimore@belLsouth.net 55th Regarding
street Homeless
Issues
SP.2 7423 A
937 n.w. Discussion
samuel Latimore sLatimore@belLsouth.net 55th Regarding
street Food
Distribution
Freddy
perez TacosLafuria2@gmaiL.com
3600 sw
25
terrace
Miami II
33133
SP.3 7424 A
Discussion
Regarding
Miami
International
Airport
Public Comment
The current Pandemic crisis
will certainly impact the
number of homeless people
who find themselves living on
the streets of Miami. This
number may result in a
dramatic increase in men,
women, and children
(families). We applaud the
efforts of Milton Vickers, and
his staff in dealing with a
difficult and complicated issue.
We asked that the
Commission took at increasing
the funding and staffing of
programs that deaf with the
dilemma of homelessness.
Prof. Samuel Latimore,
President -Charles Hadley
Neighborhood Association, Inc
Good Morning, I applaud the
City of Miami's and Miami -
Dade County's efforts to feed
those affected by Covid 19
pandemic. However, there is
an entire population of Miami
citizens who are not able to
participate in the food
distribution as currently
configured. This group consist
of the Elderly with disabilities
and health problems , Elderly
citizens on fixed incomes,
Care Givers who provide sole
care for family members,
Elderly who lack auto
transportation. Special Food
distribution activities should be
established for this group of
vulnerable citizens. Bagging
and distribution efforts can be
supported by volunteers.
These should be planned
regularly.
estan haciendo que Las
grandes empresas y
supermercados se Ltenen de
dinero y estan matando aL
pequeno comerciante, o
cierren todo o abran de una
buena vez por favor
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
No
No
Yes
William Quinlan wpquinLan@gmaiL.com 2064 SP.1 7422 A I have commented on another No
Prairie Discussion matter about using bonds or
Avenue Regarding federal grants to finance
Miami Homeless coronavirus relief efforts, and
Beach Issues reiterate those comments as
33139 they relate to the costs of this
idea: Homeless people need
the option to be off the streets
during COVID-19. The shelters
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
Public Comment
are unsafe, and they risk
exposure from public
interaction. Other vulnerable
communities, like residents in
assisted living facilities, or
prison inmates, likewise may
need a new place to go if their
Living conditions become
unsafe (18 County Jail
inmates have been released,
but a local federal judge did
not join other jurisdictions in
ordering early releases at a
Larger scale, despite over 300
confirmed cases among the
incarcerated in Miami -Dade
County). Otherwise, if we
should follow the successful
"test and trace" models for
coronavirus isolation in Asian
countries, we should offer
temporary quarantined housing
for confirmed positive
residents, so as to protect their
families and roommates
against further spread. All of
these different needs wilt
require a place to stay. At the
same time, there are over
57,000 (mostly vacant) hotel
rooms in Miami Dade County,
including over 10,000 rooms in
Downtown and Coconut Grove,
according to the GMCVB. The
City should support using
vacant rooms to temporarily
house those who need them.
Miami -Dade County and the
Homeless Trust have already
arranged 150 rooms in Dora
for elderly homeless people,
and the City of Miami already
secured a donation of 300
apartment units for healthcare
workers from United Property
Management. These efforts
are admirable first steps, but
not nearly the right scale to
the task: there are over 3,500
homeless residents atone in
the County, according to the
Homeless Trust. For some
situations, more specific costs
wilt need to be worked out,
Like providing the cleaning staff
or utilities at the hotels above
whatever negotiated rate the
City can arrange, or offering
supervision for quarantined
patients or early released
inmates, or indemnifying
hoteliers on possible Losses.
But at a purely conceptual
LeveL, there is no reason not to
match the people who need a
place to stay with the places
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
Public Comment
they can stay. The vulnerable
among us can become vectors
and targets for this disease, on
top of the rest of life's burdens.
It is our obligation as
neighbors to come together
and offer shelter as one
community. During WWII, the
hotels on South Beach were
used as temporary barracks for
GIs in training, and we can
once again rely on the unique
strengths of our city to match
the scale of the times we face.
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Wiftiam QuinLan wpquinLan@gmaiL.com
Street Agenda
Address Item
2064 SP.3 7424 A
Prairie Discussion
Avenue Regarding
Miami Miami
Beach International
33139 Airport
Public Comment
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
I am unsure as to how much
authority the City of Miami has
over the airport, a county
entity. That said, I understand
that there is a severe shortage
of work at the airport (as weft
as the Port Miami) that should
affect municipal revenues and
the broader economy. Ports
are public infrastructure, and
white focal governments
cannot restore the tourism
industry, focal governments do
have the power to spend
money to support the focal
economy through infrastructure
financing. After COVID-19,
Miami and the County wilt also
need to continue our climate
adaptation work, and
mitigating the emissions
caused at our ports should be
a part of this. At a time when
the Federal Reserve is
financing focal bonds and focal
governments need to put port
workers to work, there is an
opportunity for Long-term green
investments in a more
sustainable city. There are a
number of capital expenses
that can be financed to reduce No
the emissions from port
operations, such as instafting a
renewable microgrid of solar
panels and batteries on each
site, or upgrading the port
vehicles Like shuttles or ground
support equipment to electric
power, with resulting
improvements in air quality as
weLL. Consider the "shore
power" effort undertaken at
almost every American port on
the Pacific Coast, as a capital
expense that can reduce the
operating costs of port vessels.
The FDEP offers funding
through the VW settlement for
these purposes, and fingers
crossed the federal
government can soon step in
with direct grants to Local
governments too. Our "shovel
ready" infrastructure projects
can double down on dirty
projects that dog our air and
roads, or else support
tomorrow's transportation,
today. If this is not within City
of Miami's capacity, it should
at Least be resolved that the
County consider it.
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Michael Larrea MikeLarrea@yahoo.com
Street Agenda
Address Item
10 SW
South
River Dr.
601.
Miami FL
33132
SP.1 7422 A
Discussion
Regarding
Homeless
Issues
801
BrickeLt
Key SP.1 7422 A
Blvd, Discussion
Christina Alessi cmaLessi312@aoL.com Unit Regarding
1004, Homeless
Miami, Issues
FL
33131
Public Comment
I am really concerned about
what's going on with the
homeless issue in downtown. I
cross the river everyday
(FLagLer bridge) to go to work
and I've noticed the issue is
getting worse. Sometimes I
can't even walk on the
sidewalk because it's full of
beds or boxes from homeless
people. Not to mention the
drugs....the area near
government center is a drug
heaven. The areas along the
rivers are dirty and dangerous.
I can't even walk around
without seeing trash or getting
harassed. Instead of having
places to walk along the rover
we have homeless condos.
What's going on with the taxes
I pay? Why are you Letting this
get out of hand. The river
banks are a deadman's zone!
They have so much potential
to be Like San Antonio. FuLt of
restaurants and parks. Instead
you want to put high rises.
Don't we have enough
buildings? Can't you save
some green spaces? Miami
has so much potential.
Unfortunately politicians are
killing it.
It was nice to the portable
toilets (much Larger than
normal ones) behind where the
FedEx shop center is near S
MIAMI Ave and NE 1 st area,
however I think there should
be more. I understand it's hard
to contain every homeless
person, but we should help
supply them with masks, for
not only their safety but for
other homeless people in the
community. Definitely have to
do more Covid testing Among
The homeless population and
get more funding for shefters
to minimize transmissions
within shefters and their
staff/volunteers. Hope this
input helps, Hope city does
something quickly about
evictions in the upcoming
months to prevent more
homelessness.
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
No
No
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
Public Comment
Knowing that unemployment
levels caused by the COVID-
19 pandemic are
unprecedented, and knowing
that our state's unemployment
office has been overloaded for
weeks, it is vital that we act
quickly to protect our
community members
experiencing chronic
homelessness, as well as
those who will experience
homelessness in the coming
weeks and months. Our city,
which relies heavily on tourism
and is currently seeing
countless hotel rooms sitting
empty for the foreseeable
future, can and should provide
these rooms to shelter the
most vulnerable members of
our community, by any means
505 NE SP.1 7422 A necessary --whether that
30 ST, Discussion means pressuring the County,
Mallory Fenn maftoryfenn@gmaiL.com MIAMI, Regarding or demanding more
FL, Homeless transparency from the
33137 Issues Homeless Trust. This is not a
pipe dream, nor is it
unprecedented: the city of
Chicago is currently partnering
with hotels to provide housing
for victims of domestic
violence. If this is not possible,
please, enact Chapter
288.1166 to provide shelter
sites. Additionally, please
ensure that housefess
populations can safety shefter-
in-place in tents per CDC
recommendations without
intervention by taw
enforcement. As we are all
weft aware, we are in for a
Long and difficult road ahead,
and we cannot afford to
sacrifice our most vulnerable
populations. Thank you for
calling this meeting, and thank
you for your time.
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
No
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Adrian Madriz adrian@smash.miami
Meena
Street Agenda
Address Item
2103
Coral
Way 2nd
Floor
SP.1 7422 A
Discussion
Regarding
Homeless
Issues
Public Comment
In this crisis period, we believe
it is important for the City to
move forward with allocating
the CDBG funds to providing
emergency shelter to people
experiencing houseLessness. It
is important that the City urge
the County and the Trust to
make hotels, dorm rooms and
other properties immediately
available to house the
thousands of people without a
safe place to shelter, including
people over the age of 65,
people Living with drug
addiction or mental illness and
people stuck in jail simply
because they don't have an
address In addition, for the
safety of our most vulnerable
communities and for the safety
of all of us, we are pleading
with the City to use its power
and resources to: Expand
testing for all individuals Living
on street and in shelters
Provide basic protective
materials Like masks End the
arrests of homeless people for
being homeless and stop
police officers from crushing
tents, as we heard they have
done. This is a violation of
their civic right to shelter in
place and against CDC
guidelines Urge the County to
enact Chapter 288.1166 which
allows a professionaL sports
facility to be designated as a
shelter site for the homeless
and establish Local programs
for addiction and mental health
Urge the County and State
Attorney to release on their
own recognizance and secure
housing for those who have
been given "House Arrest" but
who cannot Leave the jail
because they don't have a
verified address to housing.
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
No
Jagannath meena@communityjusticeproject.com 3000 SP.1 7422 A From Last week's meeting, it is Yes
Biscayne Discussion dear that the issue of
Blvd Ste Regarding homelessness is a matter of
106 Homeless critical importance. The
Issues problem was severe even
before the COVID crisis, and it
is desperately urgent now
given the vulnerability of this
population. I am concerned
about those who are
chronically unsheltered in
particular. Though the Trust
has been placing people in
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
Public Comment
shelters and hotels/motels, the
majority of those left out are
those with serious mental
illnesses and people who suffer
from drug addiction. These
people have traditionally been
the hardest to find placement
for, but we have to use all
tools we have to support them.
This includes using the CDBG
funds the City has at its
disposal to support getting
more people into hoteUmotel
rooms during this acute crisis
period. We understand that
there are questions about the
way the Trust spends its
substantial funds, and we think
that the system would benefit
from having accountability
mechanisms in place and
greater transparency about
how the monies are used. In
the long term, it might be
useful for community groups,
advocates, social service
providers and healthcare
workers to come together and
create a plan to increase
Miami's preparedness to
respond to crises like these
without resorting to
criminaLization. It's dear that
more supportive housing and
services for people suffering
from addiction or mental
health issues should be
priorities of the City to ensure
Long term resiliency. I would
Like to add my voice to the
community groups Like Smite
Trust, Dade County Street
Response and Dream
Defenders that have been
trying to meet the needs of
those Living in the streets with
respect to providing tents,
food, testing and other basic
needs. In this crisis period, we
believe it is important for the
City to move forward with
allocating the CDBG funds to
providing emergency shelter to
people experiencing
homelessness. It is important
that the City urge the County
and the Trust to make hotels,
dorm rooms and other
properties immediately
available to house the
thousands of people without a
safe place to shelter, including
people under the age of 65,
people Living with drug
addiction or mental illness and
people stuck in jail simply
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
First Last
Name Name
Email Address
Street Agenda
Address Item
End of Report
Public Comment
because they don't have an
address. In addition, for the
safety of our most vulnerable
communities and for the safety
of all of us, we are pleading
with the City to use its power
and resources to: Expand
testing for all individuals living
on street and in shelters
Provide basic protective
materials like masks End the
arrests of homeless people
and stop police officers from
crushing tents, as we heard
they have done. Urge the
County to enact Chapter
288.1166 which allows a
professional sports facility to
be designated as a shelter site
for the homeless and establish
Local programs for addiction
and mental health Urge the
County and State Attorney to
release on their own
recognizance and secure
housing for those who have
been given "House Arrest" but
who cannot Leave the jail
because they don't have a
verified address to housing.
Thank you.
Are you
a
Lobbyist?
Ewan, Nicole
From: Hannon, Todd
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 3:02 PM
To: Ewan, Nicole
Subject: FW: Public comment SP 3
Hi Nicole,
Please add this email to the public comments received for today's special meeting. Let me know if you have any
questions.
Thank you!
Todd
From: Mendez, Victoria <VMendez@miamigov.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2020 2:16 PM
To: Hannon, Todd <thannon@miamigov.com>
Subject: Fwd: Public comment SP 3
Please add to the record. Ty
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Board Certified, City, County and
Local Government
City of Miami Office of the City
Attorney
Telephone: 305-416-1832
Facsimile: 305-416-1801
victoriamendez@miamigov.com
A
Marta Gomez (305) 416-1844
Begin forwarded message:
From: Joyce Nelson <grovites@mac.com>
Date: May 7, 2020 at 1:47:09 PM EDT
To: "Mendez, Victoria" <VMendez@miamigov.com>, "Russell, Ken (Commissioner)"
<krussell@miamigov.com>, "Noriega, Art" <anoriega@miamigov.com>, "Hardemon, Keon
(Commissioner)" <khardemon@miamigov.com>
Subject: Public comment SP 3
CAUTION: This is an email from an external source. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
How can we make a comment when we don't know what the issue is about.
Now I know but cannot comment.
Doesn't this fall as a national issue not just Miami. I believe this should also be done by our president.
Sent from my iPhone
1
Joyce E. Nelson
305 505-1147
2